Law enforcement’s investigation into the mysterious disappearance of 20-year-old Jessica Barnes of Pendleton, South Carolina dominated headlines in the Palmetto Upstate last summer. As this tragic story was approaching its horrifying crescendo, Troy Styles – owner of Blunt Force Media – found himself face-to-face with the man who would later be accused of murdering the missing woman.
Styles’ chance encounter with 21-year-old Brandon Barnes took place as the future murder suspect was hanging flyers in the Pendleton S.C. town square – ostensibly as part of an effort to locate his wife, who hadn’t been seen in nearly two months.
After building a rapport with Barnes, Styles conducted two separate interviews with him and the two women accompanying him – Victoria Tippett and Kendall Mims. Both Tippett and Mims would be arrested alongside Barnes just days later.
These interviews have never been heard before. Styles agreed to release them via FITSNews… and to share his recollections of these conversations with us.
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Barnes, Tippett and Mims were charged on October 2, 2024 in connection with Jessica Barnes’ murder. According to police, Brandon Barnes strangled his wife to death on August 2, 2024 in a pool house in Pendleton – and Tippett and Mims joined him in disposing of her remains near a boat ramp in the Twin Lakes region of Pickens County.
The pool house – owned by Mims’ grandfather – was searched by police on September 20, 2024 in connection with Jessica Barnes’ disappearance.
After Jessica Barnes’ remains were discovered, Barnes was charged with murder – while Tippett and Mims were charged with accessory after the fact, obstruction of justice and misprision of a felony. All three have been held in the Anderson County detention center since their arrest.
Styles described his encounter with Barnes on September 25, 2024 as very random.
“We were actually in the Pendleton square,” he said. “We had been putting out flyers all day in the hot sun, and I had never met Brandon. I had seen some photos of him, but all of a sudden, a guy showed up with one flyer, and we noticed that he had attached it to a pole.”
When he realized who the young man was, Styles jumped out of his car and quickly asked him if he’d be willing to do an interview.
“(Barnes) was really interested in sharing his side of the story,” Styles said. “So I was able to sit down with him.”
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RELATED | JESSICA BARNES’ MURDER: CHARGES FILED
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During their first conversation, Tippett joined Barnes. Styles said he let Barnes lead the conversation in the hopes he would get comfortable with him, saying his goal was to “cozy up” to the suspect. He also waited to start his recorder until he had gained Barnes’ trust.
While both interview subjects were frank with Styles, it was Barnes who truly opened up during the conversation – discussing his tumultuous relationship with his wife, the couple’s financial struggles, mental health challenges and personal regrets.
Styles began the recorded portion of the interview by asking Barnes if there was anything he wanted to say to his missing wife “if she could hear (your) message.”
“I’d tell her how much I love her,” he said, embarking on a lengthy recapitulation of the myriad regrets he had related to their relationship.
Barnes and Tippett also read from a note his late wife had written him on July 4, 2024 – a note Barnes claimed to have found in her Bible. After reading the note to Styles, Barnes said “I never had so much appreciation in my life after I read that note, it hurt deeper than something that can cut through my skin.”
“It made me feel so loved,” he added.
Those are chilling words from a man who, according to police, took Jessica’s last breaths from her just weeks earlier…
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At one point during the interview, Barnes broke down in tears, telling Styles, “I just wish I could have gave her the world. Her missing, it’s just really traumatizing me.” His sobs growing, he continued, “And when they searched my home, and they did all, that just put me in a deeper, dark, darker, darker depression.”
Barnes also discussed what he describes as a traumatic childhood.
“I wasn’t raised proper,” he said. “I wasn’t taught, ‘Hey this is wrong. This is right.’ But I grew up knowing what I knew what was wrong or right, but I wasn’t disciplined growing up.”
After the initial conversation, Barnes agreed to meet Styles again – this time along with both Tippet and Mims. Styles has agreed to release that portion of the interview on our news outlet in the coming days.
“The second conversation, there’s a completely different shift of attitude,” he said. “They’re now all three together, seemingly my friends, and we’re just hanging out in the middle of the square, and we talk about all kinds of things that are gripping.”
“Yeah, I have had dreams about this next conversation,” Styles said.
Stay tuned…
In the meantime, preliminary hearings for Barnes, Tippett and Mims will be held at the Anderson County courthouse on February 14, 2025.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Jenn Wood is FITSNews’ incomparable research director. She’s also the producer of the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts and leading expert on all things Murdaugh/ South Carolina justice. A former private investigator with a criminal justice degree, evildoers beware, Jenn Wood is far from your average journalist! A deep dive researcher with a passion for truth and a heart for victims, this mom of two is pretty much a superhero in FITSNews country. Did we mention she’s married to a rocket scientist? (Lucky guy!) Got a story idea or a tip for Jenn? Email her at jenn@fitsnews.com.
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